


Searching

by chaosmanor



Series: The Gift [4]
Category: Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-02
Updated: 2003-12-02
Packaged: 2017-10-10 23:32:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/105653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosmanor/pseuds/chaosmanor





	Searching

Their fourth night in Rohan was spent under the eaves of Fangorn. The night was cold, made even colder by the sighting of the mysterious old man they suspected was Saruman, and their own fears for the hobbits' safety.

Aragorn had said he wanted time to think, and had taken over Gimli's watch. When the watch ended, Legolas had risen from his waking dream in expectation of taking over the watch.

Aragorn was sitting motionless on a small mound near the camp, his right hand resting on Anduril's hilt, his left clasping the pendant at his neck, when Legolas approached him.

The man turned to watch Legolas walk silently towards him. Aragorn's face was troubled, reflecting the doubts of his thoughts.

Legolas stood next to the man, and looked down at him, until Aragorn rose to face him.

"Tell me your troubles," said Legolas. "Let me help you, if I may."

"No. My troubles are my own. But, I will stay with you on watch, if you will allow me. Your presence soothes me," he replied.

Aragorn moved to stand behind Legolas, and rested his hands lightly on Legolas' shoulders before sliding them down the elf's arms to hold his hands gently.

Legolas sighed with pleasure at the touch, leaning back towards Aragorn, seeking more contact.

Aragorn wrapped his arms around Legolas, keeping hold of the elf's hands, and leaned his face into Legolas' wonderfully soft hair. He whispered, "I have never known such comfort from another. I cannot do this task without you." He slipped one hand free and used the hand to softly brush aside Legolas' hair from his neck.

Aragorn moved his lips slowly across Legolas' neck, listening to the elf's breathing quicken at the touch.

Legolas' heart was full, doubly touched by the whispered words, and the loving caresses. The touch of lips on his neck was arousing him, and he moaned when the man's mouth moved across his ear, and then slid down his neck to nuzzle his shoulder.

Aragorn heard the soft moan of pleasure, and tightened his grip around Legolas so that the elf could feel the man's arousal pressing against his buttocks.

His mouth returned to the ear and he whispered "One day, you and I will be alone in a safe place, and I will show you how much I desire you."

Legolas gently freed his hand from Aragorn's, and turned within the embrace to face him. "Kiss me now, and maybe I will be able to guess," he said, wrapping his arms around Aragorn.

Aragorn lowered his mouth to the elf's, and began the kiss with a tender touch, then opened his mouth to deepen the kiss. He drew Legolas even closer to him, their groins touching and rubbing, as their tongues twined together.

They kissed as if the world was about to end, as if the forces of Mordor were about to tear them apart, as if Aragorn loved Legolas but did not know how to say the words.

Aragorn pulled back from the kiss to breathe, brushed his lips across Legolas' one last time, and made his way back to the small camp fire to look for sleep.

 

******************************

 

Legolas sat beside the small stream that ran out of the eaves of Fangorn, combing his hair with his fingers and then braiding it. Gimli squatted beside the stream, drinking his fill. Aragorn was searching the ground some distance away, seeking more prints from the hobbits.

Gimli finished drinking and sat beside Legolas on the bank of the stream. He looked carefully at the elf and said, "You seem happier than a few days ago. I suspect things are going well with Aragorn," as he nodded towards the man in the distance.

Legolas was tempted to push the dwarf into the stream and tell him it was a private matter, but Gimli's face showed only concern and kindness, so he restrained himself with a sigh.

"I am reassured," Legolas said instead, his inner happiness overriding the concerns about the dangers of their task, and lighting his face for a moment.

Gimli smiled at the elf's happiness and said, "Reassured? So that's what elves call it."

Legolas looked down at stream and felt colour rush to his cheeks. He spoke softly and said, "Words have been spoken," as he remembered Aragorn's whispers of the night before.

Gimli was uncharacteristically silent.

Legolas looked at the dwarf again and said, "You're a good friend, Gimli."

******************************

They had ridden long into the night, urged on by Gandalf on Shadowfax, until all of them were stiff and weary. Their horses, Hasufel and Arod, were tired too, but followed Shadowfax loyally. When, in the deep of the night, Gandalf called a halt, they were all glad to stretch out on the ground and rest.

Gandalf had stood watch, occupied by his own thoughts. Gimli had fallen immediately into a deep sleep, to dream of endless grassy plains and the constant jolting motion of horses. Legolas had stretched out on his back, and Aragorn had joined Legolas, his head on the elf's shoulder, one arm thrown across Legolas' chest, both wrapped in their elvish cloaks. Legolas slept, and Aragorn listened to the elf's breathing, until his mind rested too. Neither of them saw the anger on Gandalf's face as he finally turned back to their sleeping forms and saw them entwined under their cloaks.

When Gandalf had woken them all, long before dawn, his face was stern, and he had not spoken to them, except to urge them back onto their horses.

He had called a halt as dawn was breaking, and had taken Aragorn aside, some distance from the horses and Legolas and Gimli.

Gimli had turned to Legolas, to ask him if he knew why Gandalf seemed so stern, and found Legolas no longer by his side. He walked across to the elf, who stood stroking Arod's face and neck, his back towards Aragorn and Gandalf. Gimli could hear their voices, and Gandalf sounded angry, though the dwarf could not make out any words. Gandalf seemed to be pointing at Aragorn's neck repeatedly, which made no sense to Gimli until he remembered the pendant around Aragorn's neck.

"Do you know why Aragorn and Gandalf are arguing?" he asked Legolas.

Legolas kept petting Arod's face and avoided Gimli's eyes.

Gimli wondered at Legolas' evasiveness, and then said, "They're arguing about you, aren't they?"

Legolas nodded.

"What will happen?" asked the dwarf.

"I do not know. When we are facing as much danger as we are, it makes no sense to worry about things that far in the future," replied Legolas.

"Are you going to go to them and tell them that?"

"A Maiar and the King of Men are arguing, and you think I should interfere? I am only an elven prince. They could squash me, knowing there are plenty more elven princes to take my place."

Before Gimli could think of another question, Aragorn and Gandalf strode back to the horses and silently began the task of lifting Gimli onto Shadowfax.

When Legolas dared to look towards Aragorn, lit by light of the rising sun, he was grim, and would not meet Legolas' eyes.

 

***************************

 

Later, as they dismounted at the gates of Edoras, whilst Gandalf and a guard lifted Gimli off Shadowfax, Aragorn moved to Legolas and gently touched his arm.

Legolas turned to him and said "Was it bad?"

Aragorn nodded once and said "I said that I never again intended to sleep without holding you in my arms. And I meant it."

As they moved towards the gatekeepers, Aragorn reached for Legolas and said, "Please believe me."

Legolas could do nothing but brush his fingers against Aragorn's as they moved to face the challenge of the gatekeepers.

 

****************************


End file.
